In an effort to manage severe traffic congestion caused by heavy rain and waterlogging, Bengaluru Traffic Police took the drastic step of closing gates to major tech corridors on Outer Ring Road (ORR), leaving thousands of tech workers trapped inside their offices for hours. The closure on Tuesday evening was intended to ease the traffic gridlock, but it resulted in widespread disruption for employees of major IT companies in the area.
An advisory issued to companies in the region, home to prominent tech hubs like Eco Space and Eco World, explained the situation: “There is heavy traffic congestion at Outer Ring Road due to heavy rain and waterlogging. Traffic police have decided to close all tech park gates and allow a staggered release of traffic to ease the situation. We request your cooperation.”
Many employees who had left work found themselves returning to their desks as the traffic gridlock made it impossible to leave the area. A frustrated techie shared on social media, “Kadubeesanahalli, ORR traffic is completely at a standstill. Many of my colleagues came back to their desks after waiting for an hour without being able to exit the tech park.”
Another commuter described the harrowing experience: “For the past 2.5 hours, I’ve managed to drive just 4 km. This traffic situation is insane; it’s beyond repair.”
In response to the chaotic conditions, Bengaluru’s IT, BT, and electronics departments recommended that companies allow employees to work from home on October 23, citing the Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) yellow alert for rain in the city. The authorities also asked private companies to prioritize employee safety.
As a further precaution, all schools in Bengaluru were declared closed on October 23 due to the anticipated heavy rainfall, though colleges remained open.
With more rain forecast, the traffic woes on ORR highlight the growing challenges of managing Bengaluru’s infrastructure during extreme weather events, leaving both commuters and authorities grappling with long-standing issues of congestion and flooding.
Sources By Agencies